EC Allows Previously Enrolled Voters Missing From SIR Draft Rolls to Apply Through Form 6

NEW DELHI, November 3, 2026 — The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clarified that voters whose names are missing from draft electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) can submit Form 6 to seek inclusion in the final voters’ list, even if they were enrolled previously.

In a communication to the Chief Electoral Officers of all states and Union Territories, the Commission addressed concerns that previously registered electors could be making a false declaration by submitting Form 6. The form contains a declaration that an applicant is seeking inclusion in the electoral roll for the first time, creating uncertainty among people whose names were not carried forward into the draft rolls.

The ECI said that submitting Form 6 in these circumstances would not, by itself, amount to a false declaration. It also clarified that an Electoral Registration Officer cannot initiate action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, solely because a previously enrolled elector applies through Form 6 during or after the SIR exercise.

The protection is not unconditional. The Commission said the elector must not already be enrolled in another Parliamentary or Assembly constituency, and the declaration must comply with the law. Action may be considered where a person is enrolled elsewhere or has made an unlawful or false declaration.

The clarification follows a Delhi High Court order dated October 14, 2026, in the case of Nilotpal Datta and another versus Election Commission of India and others. The Commission referred to the ruling while addressing the apprehension that an earlier enrolment would automatically make a fresh Form 6 declaration false.

The poll body has asked Chief Electoral Officers across the country to publicise the clarification widely through available media platforms and in local languages. The instruction is intended to ensure that eligible electors understand the route available to them if their names do not appear in the draft list.

The clarification explains the application procedure but does not mean that every Form 6 submission will be accepted automatically. Applications remain subject to the applicable eligibility requirements and electoral registration checks. Voters should ensure that their details and declarations are accurate and that they are not registered in another constituency.

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